Lifestyle

It’s wild to think that this time a week ago I was just finishing up my Yoga Teacher Training at Rishikesh Vinyasa Yoga School… I literally had no idea what to expect when I got there. In fact, I went in with no expectations at all, which, chapeau to me, was a bloody good way of going about it. Cuz in the end, the whole experience was nothing like what I could ever have imagined. The whole journey was a freakin sweaty-ass roller coasted of emotions, sore muscles, laughs and tears. My heart aches thinking back, because gawd-damn those were some of the happiest days of my life. I’ve tried to sum it up in this post, and I included an FAQ section at the bottom to answer some of the main questions I’ve received. If you have any other questions don’t hesitate to comment below or message me personally! I hope this helps some of you future yoga teachers and inspires the rest of you to think about possibly doing a YTT as well 😉 Continue Reading

It’s that time of year again. Time to spend days on end cooped up in front your computer screen, finally understanding why your professors said “attendance to lectures is highly recommended”. It’s the time where students all over the globe channel 100% of their focus into exam prep, and any other healthy habit practiced throughout the year flies out the window.

On top of being passionate about health and fitness, I’m really into productivity hacks. I love reading books about maximizing efficiency and self-development. So I’ve decided to combine these all in a post on how to stay fit, health and productive during exam time. I hope it’s helpful to some of you, and I take full credit if you end the semester with a six-pack and a 98% average (: ~~ (kidding) Continue Reading

Maybe it’s cuz summer’s coming so everyone’s trying to get that beach bod ready, or because we’re almost half way through the year (shit only got 6 months left to hit those NY Resolutions), but everyone seems to be on a “diet” these days. I’ve gotten more messages that ever from people asking whether they should be “cutting carbs completely” or “is it okay to have a piece of bread in the morning”, “what about the afternoon?”. I have the same answer every single time. I start by saying that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. Everyone has different metabolisms, hormone levels, body fat percentages, goals, composition, likes, dislikes, strength, deficiencies…literally the list is endless. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to diet, and that is probably the most frustrating thing to hear ever. I’ve mentioned this before but it all comes down to human nature. We are always seeking a yes or no answer, a strict rule and guideline, however this cannot apply to nutrition. Since there are so many factors that come into play when discussing proper nutrition, naturally it would make sense that the reply would have an equally broad and wholistic approach. HOWEVER, even though this next point may seem to completely contradict the previous, there isonediet rule that I believe everyone should follow, HERE IT IS: Continue Reading

I used to roll my eyes at these “express your feelings”, “show gratitude”, “be mindful” kind of posts. I guess you could say I’ve never been the most sensitive or emotional person out there, and always preferred the cold, hard facts. I’ve always preferred macro-tracking to intuitive eating and structured lifting sets to improvised yoga flows. In the past year I’ve experienced so much that has not only led to a complete change of my mindset, but I finally feel in complete peace and security with myself. I’ve changed my mindset from I’m happy, confident and feel good, to how can I continuously grow, learn and develop. I don’t have it all figured out, heck I’m still only at the beginning of this beautiful wellness journey I’ve embarked on. One of the major habits that I’ve picked up over the past year is journaling. This is something that my wonderful friend Stef introduced me to, and I have her to thank for the great changes it has brought to my life. Basically I answer the same set of questions every morning before I start my day, and in the evening before going to bed. I’ll be honest and say I go through phases of doing it religiously, and stopping for sometimes weeks at a time. I never meant for it to add extra stress to my life, so I don’t worry if I don’t have time every single day. I know however that it’s brought me nothing but more clarity and positivity. It makes me think of a quote I read that says: What your mind thinks your body feels. Just the act of sitting and thinking of something that your grateful for, that makes you happy, that makes you smile, will breed positive thoughts, and is scientifically proven to decrease depression and anxiety. Below are the questions I answer; the simple journaling exercise that will totally change your outlook and very possibly you’re entire freakin life 😉 Continue Reading

The classic saying goes “working out is the easy part, what’s hard is diet”. I don’t necessarily think either are particularly easy nor are they that hard, but proper nutrition can definitely be more difficult to navigate. In today’s word of fad diets, misleading “health” food advertising and the internet breeding a ridiculous amount of false information, it’s easy to fall into a trap, thinking you’re doing your body good, when really you’re simply doing it more harm. Knowing how to get started with healthy eating is often the hardest part, but there’s no need to overcomplicate it. With these 10 easy healthy food swaps, you’ll be on your way to a healthier diet, and a better, fitter and stronger you. Continue Reading

Morning has always been my favourite time of the day. Every morning is an opportunity to reset, restart and slay the day ahead. About 2 years ago I made the promise to myself that I would do 30 minutes of yoga as soon as I wake up every single day. This simple yoga routine opened my eyes to the incredible power of having a good, healthy morning ritual. Waking up even only 20 minutes earlier can change everything, from your mindset, your productivity, your physical health, positivity and mental wellbeing. The world of morning rituals can be slightly hard to navigate with some swearing by wheatgrass shots and oil pulling, others by ice baths and colonics, all of which sound incredibly unattractive and definitely not what I want to be doing first thing in the morning. Here are 5 easy steps to creating your own morning ritual that works for you. Don’t worry, you don’t have to wake up at 4am to get it all done, it can be short and sweet, as long as your mind’s in it, the benefits will be major.Continue Reading

A few days ago I published So Long Vegan: Part 1, all about why I am no longer vegan. The response included even more angry pro-vegan comments than I had anticipated…which made me even more convinced that I wanted to write a second part to it. This part is all about my concerns with the vegan movement. Unfortunately, what started as something so positive has now turned into a judgmental, sect-like group. There are so many reasons why I absolutely loved following a vegan diet, and if I were perfectly healthy I really would keep it up, but I have chosen to put my health first, and at this point in my life, veganism isn’t for me. On top of my personal wellbeing, there are a few issues I have with the vegan movement. Here they are. Continue Reading

A few months ago, I celebrated 2 years of being vegan. Flash forward a few weeks after that, and I was at the Kawana Organic Farmer’s Market buying a bag of beef bones to make myself some homemade bone broth. Wait what?! Yup…after 2 years of strict veganism, not touching a single animal product, there I was in my kitchen staring at a bag of bones; so damn organic there was still some cow hair on it. It might have been easier to make the leap by simply buying some pre-made chicken stock, but I didn’t want to make the switch without staring it right in the face. I wanted to understand exactly what I was doing, what I was eating, and instead of turning my head away from the fact that an animal had died for my lunch, I wanted to stand there mindfully and be thankful for the animal in front of me. Alright I know what you’re thinking. What the F happened to that whole “omg best decision of my life, I love veganism, save the animals, I feel so great, my energy is limitless, this is the diet of the gods” crap. Well you know what, I don’t take back anything I’ve ever said about following a vegan diet. I did have more energy than ever, I did feel my best, I did have improved concentration and lowered risk of heart disease, while also doing the best possible thing for the environment and stand up agains the unethical treatment of animals. But as much as veganism was so right for me 2 years ago, it no longer is, and here is why. Continue Reading

I saw a quote image on Instagram yesterday that said: January, February, March *BLINK* December. So. Damn. Accurate. The year’s almost already over, and although so much has changed in the last few months, I can hardly believe how fast it’s gone by. So, as a little tribute to the month of November which felt like it lasted about 45 minutes, here are the things I fell in love with. Continue Reading

I’ve been contemplating putting together a little “kitchen staples” list for a while, including all my “must haves”. And then I realized; I take up 3 drawers, 2 cupboard and 60% of the fridge to store my food AKA my flatmates hate me and that would be an effing long list. So I decided to break it up between the 3 main places I buy my food: health food stores, grocery stores and the farmer’s market. Here is part 1, my health food store kitchen essentials. Why do I buy these products at health food stores and not grocery stores? Well the grocery store version of most of these products tend to be full of crap, so I really make sure I buy the real-deal, organic version. Where as I can find raw, spray-free almonds in the grocery store, I can’t find a good organic, vegan protein powder. So here’s my list, hopefully this will give you some inspiration for next time you’re browsing through your local health food store, wondering what is all this hippie stuff and what do I do with it?! Continue Reading

About Me!

Holllaaa! I am 22 year old student currently living in Switzerland. I'm all about maxing gains and that #teamsquats life while being a green smoothie drinking, spinach-loving, yogi. Here you'll find all things health, fitness and wellness, enjoy lovelieeess xxx Vic